


Soul Lantern

by Readerinsertfanfiction



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU, Crushes to, F/M, Fake Dating, Gen, Will try, over the garden wall au, probably not gonna have a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:35:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22468735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Readerinsertfanfiction/pseuds/Readerinsertfanfiction
Summary: Inspired by Zeldacw’s comic on OtGW on Deviantart
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is classified as fanfiction. All named characters belong to their respective creators. I, readerinsertfanfiction, as the creator of this particular work do not give any permission for my work to be posted, hosted or shared through any third-party app, website or user.

He was selfish, that much was undeniable. Selfish, ambitious and even cruel at times. Seto Kaiba spared no love for the world, preferring to guard his heart from the world and inflict hurt rather than being the one hurt. His actions had proven as much. Threatening those who considered him their friends, hurting those who tried to be his friend. Kaiba had always believed himself above all that.

When you confessed he had been cruel as well. Love was wasteful, is a waste, a silly little distraction from the grander things in life. Kaiba made sure that you knew that. That the confession would be a painful memory. A reminder of what a waste it was to give the heart away.

“I… I really like you, Seto Kaiba. Please consider going out with me!”

You had been brave. Stupidly so even. To think that Kaiba wouldn’t treat the confession with cruelty. To think that Kaiba had a soft spot somewhere in his heart. No, instead he had recorded the confession and spread it for all to see. Uploaded it on all social media with the needed tags to effectively reach everyone known and unknown. The CEO had crushed all emotions of affection, adding in a public response to not waste his time with such trivial things as crushes and dating.

Surely, the backlash had been great. Many condemned Kaiba for the jerk he was, but he hardly cared. When had name calling ever hurt his business or pride? The majority pitied you, but were all too relieved that they weren’t in your shoes.

You didn’t care for the pitiful stares or rumours either. Appearing in front of Kaiba once more you stood firm, eyes determined and lips pressed together. Kaiba was going to pay for all his cruelty. 

“Kaiba,” your voice was commanding, unlike the sweet and soft tone you had held during the confession. “You have wasted your last chance for redemption.”

The male turned around, surprised to see you still daring to appear before him. He would have thought that you had known more shame. A smirk played across his features looking you down with his haughty look. Perhaps another round of shaming would teach you.

“Really? And what will you do about it?”

Sighing you let your shoulders fall. A light appeared in front of you that turned into a lamp. Rising his brows Kaiba remained quiet confused on what you were doing, but curious to the magic you were performing.

“For long enough have you hurt others for your own selfish goals and entertainment,” you started, a breeze building up within the room despite the lack of an open window or door. Taking a step back Kaiba cautioned himself. He had seen enough hocus pocus with Yugi and his friends to learn not to underestimate magic. 

“Your heart is dark and callous, grown cruel and wicked. However, now your task shall be to give its light back.”

The brunette scoffed at that, rolling his eyes as his courage swelled up once more. “Yeah, right. You’re pathetic,” he retorted.

You responded with a pitiful smile. “Within this lamp your soul will be locked. You will have to keep the light burning if you wish to survive,”

The lamp you had summoned earlier turned brighter, blinding Kaiba momentarily as he felt something pulling at the very core of his being. It was not to be, however.

“Brother!” Mokuba called and Kaiba’s eyes grew wide in horror. The young boy had entered his brother’s office, clueless on the mysterious visitor he had and to the lamp. 

“I heard there was a girl in yo…” Mokuba never got to finish his sentence, eyes growing blank as the lamp’s light turned brighter, warmer, growing and growing until the little boy’s eyes turned blank and empty. Kaiba let go of a scream, running to catch the empty shell that was Mokuba’s body. His brother, stuck in a lamp, reduced to a mere light.

“[Name]!” Kaiba growled, threatening to step forward.

Horrified at the innocent life that was suddenly pulled into the conflict you checked the lamp. The light was still bright and you could still feel the soul breathing. You didn’t have the power to return it, however.

“Bring him back. Bring Mokuba back,” Kaiba ordered you. You stood dumbfounded, however. You hadn’t planned for this. This wasn’t supposed to happen. 

“The lamp has already chosen. You will have to carry out your duty to keep your brother’s soul safe. Only when you learn the true meaning of kindness will your brother’s soul return,” you explained in a shaky voice. However, even of that you weren’t sure anymore. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is classified as fanfiction. All named characters belong to their respective creators. I, readerinsertfanfiction, as the creator of this particular work do not give any permission for my work to be posted, hosted or shared through any third-party app, website or user.

You had made an mistake. A horrible, terrible mistake. One that could quite possibly cost an innocent life and for what? You had been so upset for being rejected and humiliated, so hurt from the way Kaiba had mocked you and your feelings and it had seemed like a good idea at that moment. 

Seemed. Past tense. For now you realise what a terrible idea it was.

Kaiba had taken a seat, arms crossed and face set in his typical snarl as he propped his elbows onto the desk. The aura of a true CEO boss radiated off from him. One that was displeased and was about to yell at the employer to get the hell out of his office and never return. The sort that intimidated said employer into not suing the company because there was no way in the world they could ever beat the legal team that backed him up. The sort that was telling you to be very careful, because he was ready to spit and it was definitely going to be venom.

“If I understand this correctly,” the male spoke slowly. Oh, so, very slowly. Drawing out each and every word he pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he couldn’t quite believe what was going on now.

“My brother’s soul is in that lamp and I have to learn kindness if I want him out,” he summarised, not even bothering to formulate the question. He knew the answer, having heard the ridiculous explanation from you moments earlier.

You nodded, anxious and not trusting yourself to speak in full sentences. Shivering you felt the cold glare of Kaiba going over you once more, as if contemplating what terror he was to bestow upon you for putting his brother in harm’s way.

“And what is this supposed kindness?” he asked, tone clipped. Gulping you blinked at the male, wondering how to answer his question. Flushing you realised that you really hadn’t thought the whole plan through. 

“I’m guessing that kindness would be not to throw you in my simulation for a test ride set to the hardest level.” Kaiba bristled, his pace picking up and so did his volume. “I’m assuming that kindness means I cannot afford to make you cry again because I took you to the courts with my legal team.” as he continued, tone flat, his very being seeped out the anger he had been quelling inside, drenching his very being as he rose from his seat. 

“But what is it that you want from me with kindness?” Towering over you the male crossed his arms, the disdain clear for you to see. “Did you hope that I would change my mind and date you? Apologise for filming your confession and publish it? Do I need to declare my supposed undying love for you to make you happy and to release my brother’s soul? Or do you want me to get down on my knees and beg you for forgiveness?”

His words hurt, each sentence hammering into your heart, slamming that nail deeper in until you were sure that it had gone all the way through. Why were you surprised? This had been Kaiba, known to be cruel. Known to the world that he didn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. What else had you expected but to be mocked and to be laughed at when you confessed? What else could you expect but this pure feeling of disgust, as if you were some gum spat out on the streets that he happened to step into. 

His eyes bore into you coldly, trained at your every expression as he waited for your answer. He had no intention of doing anything to you, you could tell. He was too afraid to harm his brother who was now helplessly stuck. In a way it gave you the upper hand, which meant that in a way you could have him kneel before you. However, his expression told you everything before you even dared. Seto Kaiba had no intention of lowering his head. This was no negotiation. 

Feeling an anger boiling up you clenched your fists, fighting back the urge to throw the lantern off the table. “Perhaps _that_ is exactly the answer you should seek,” you threw at him, surprised at how cool you kept. Even if you had no idea what was happening, even if you honestly had no idea why the lantern had taken Mokuba’s soul instead. 

A moment of silence fell between the two of you. Tense and pregnant. It was as if both of you were holding a contest to see who would give in first. Finally Kaiba let go of a sigh, pulling the lantern closer as his eyes went over to the body of his brother, seemingly peacefully asleep in the chair across the room.

“Fine,” he spoke, clearly displeased but ready to comply. You snapped your head up, wondering what to expect from this Kaiba as he looked down at you.

“My first act of kindness will be to take you as my girlfriend.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is classified as fanfiction. All named characters belong to their respective creators. I, readerinsertfanfiction, as the creator of this particular work do not give any permission for my work to be posted, hosted or shared through any third-party app, website or user.

You were hoping for this all to be a bad dream. One from which you would wake up and then brush away as another part of your silly fantasies, where you could deny the limousine in front of your house, and the male that came with it in all his royal smugness.

“Kaiba, why are you here?” you asked nervously, fiddling around with your fingers you tried hard to block out the whispers from your neighbours. You didn’t dare to look at the taller peer, but you could tell that he was smirking, cocky as he was he enjoyed watching you squirm.

Pushing away from the back door Kaiba crossed his arms, his body towering over yours now as he forced you to face him by mere presence.

“Call me Seto.” His voice was so matter-of-fact, as if he had it all planned which he most likely had. Unable to tear your eyes off him you feared for what was coming next, and he knew that judging from the glint in his eyes.

“Can’t I come pick up my girlfriend?” The question was rhetorical, stressing the last word so that the rest of the neighbourhood could enjoy. The damn bastard had it all calculated.

More whispers.

“Wha-” Thrown off you could only manage to stutter back. Your new boyfriend seemed to take your surprise as a victory as his infamous smirk appeared once more. Any other day he would have complained and done anything to make you as miserable as possible, but with this supposed ‘kindness’ thing that had you keeping his brother hostage he couldn’t afford such games. Besides, you seemed to be much more miserable if he flaunted around.

“Kaiba, please! Not so loud,” you hissed at the brunette, a blush high on your cheeks as you tried your best to shoot a glare. This amused the male all the more who rose a brow at you.

“Where you planning in keeping our relationship a secret, [Name]?” His expression turned into one of quasi-surprise, a practiced expression that made you wonder if he had ever taken any acting classes. He certainly had the face for one and the skills, and the crowd was growing wild as the neighbours watched Kaiba twist your every word.

“N-no…” you retorted, not really thinking of what you were saying. Signalling for Kaiba to come inside already as the crowd outside was getting denser you hoped that your new-fake boyfriend would take the hint already and stop embarrassing you.

Though he was willfully ignoring it, and you were only wishfully thinking that Kaiba wasn’t planning on humiliating you one way or another.

“Or are you ashamed?” Kaiba continued, arms falling to his side as he strode over to you. Was that hurt in his voice? Your mouth fell open at the gasps of the audience, clearly all drinking up the act.

“There is no need to. I have no parents to disapprove of you and I’m every parents’ dream for a son-in-law.” Kaiba continued with an uncharacteristically gentle voice as he brushed the hair out of your face.

Now you really were choking on your own breath.

“Enough,” you yelled, your face beady red and breaking out in cold sweat. Deciding that you have had enough you opened the door of the limousine pushing the male in before climbing after him. “I’m off, bye!” you yelled hastily over your shoulder to your equally as befuddled parents.

When you finally locked the door and faced the brunette you were almost relieved to see Kaiba back to his old self.

Cold hard glare, crossed arms and a rigid posture. Never had you been so happy to see the old Kaiba back, but neither had you been so terrified as well. This couldn’t bode well for you.

“I hope my act satisfied your little fantasies?” he scoffed at you, immediately answering your questions.

Flinching you cringed into yourself before straightening up again with a deep sigh.

“I told you. You need to learn kindness. Not date me,” you responded cooly. Two could play the game and you were not about to let this guy get to you in any sort of way. Even if he already sort of did earlier.

“I thought entertaining your perversions was included in this kindness,” the male bit back at you. You flinched at the harsh words he used, but Kaiba didn’t care and didn’t bother to let you come between continuing in the same cold tone.

“If not, why else would you kidnap my brother’s soul after I broke your heart?”

Faltering for a moment you huffed a sigh. His words stung as they were in a way true. You had acted on emotion, hurt by the heartbreak he had given you, but forcing him into a relationship with you was the last thing you had on your mind when you brought the lantern. Though it didn’t seem likely that Kaiba was willing to listen.

“Exactly as I thought,” he snipped when you remained silent.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story is probably not going to have a happy ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is classified as fanfiction. All named characters belong to their respective creators. I, readerinsertfanfiction, as the creator of this particular work do not give any permission for my work to be posted, hosted or shared through any third-party app, website or user.

The way to school seemed endless, yet at the same time you wished it had taken you longer as another reality was about to force itself onto you. While the whispering neighbours earlier this morning were bad enough the constant stares and gossip from your peers even worse. **  
**

“It’s true, see?” 

“Do you think he is cursed?” 

“That rejection video was embarrassing to watch.” 

“For sure, glad that it wasn’t me.”

Wincing you almost wished to be back in the car, welcoming the icy silence of Kaiba with open arms. There was no running away, however. Kaiba strode forward, ushering you with him as he ignored the crowd that was staring.

The school bell was your saving grace that parted your way with Kaiba. For once you didn’t mind not being able to spend your first period with the male, nor did you envy those who did get to spend time with him. 

That was until Seto Kaiba, in his full glory, entered your classroom and took the seat next to you without a word. 

Startled you threw a look at your former neighbour, a brow raised as they threw an apologetic smile back with a shrug. Rolling your eyes you figured that they were too scared of the almighty Kaiba to tell him off. Fortunately you felt a lot more bold, was it only because you were already at the end of your wits. 

“This isn’t your class.” 

The brunet didn’t answer you as he opened his books, legs crossed as he pulled out his schedule and flicked it into your direction. All the while the male didn’t bother to look up or down at you, his eyes trained to the front of the class as he waited for the teacher to arrive. 

Suspicious you opened the print, scanning over his classes as your eyes widened. “No!” you exclaimed as you scrambled up from your seat, disbelief clear in your eyes. 

Rolling his eyes at you Kaiba motioned for you to sit back down, his face as serious as always as his cold voice deadpanned you once again that day. 

“Is it so hard to believe that I wish to spend time with _my significant other_?” 

None of his words sounded sincere, which hurt all the more as he spelled out the words. Kaiba was set to let you know that this was your fault. That this was what you had asked for when you confessed and later on took your revenge. You honestly couldn’t quip back at that. 

“You are impossible,” you huffed, feeling your chest clench as you sat down, a blush riding high on your cheeks as you realised that your classmates were witnessing the scene. Something Kaiba didn’t seem to mind as he was set on making you regret this as much as possible. 

Scoffing the brunet threw you a condescending look, his eyes cold as his smirk was cruel. It was the first time since you had entered the school that he had looked you into your eyes at all. Leaning over the male ignored the teacher’s call for order as he glowered down on you, his eyes burning despite the apathy he felt for you. 

“I’m impossible?” he spoke slowly, his words drawing out as he tried to compose himself. The negotiator and business man within him were trying to maintain control as he thought of that lantern that had started it all, the one you had brought in. 

“I’m merely fulfilling my part to free my brother’s soul,” he hissed before his smile faltered, a pure disgust crossing his eyes. “A part which you forced onto me with your silly wishes,” he continued flatly. 

Flinching you instinctively drew back, the aura of your neighbour growing too overwhelming and threatening. 

“I’m doing exactly what I would do if I ever got myself stuck in a romance,” the male reasoned, eyes closing as he moved away from you. “You should feel honoured.” 

Anger built up within you, confused and powerless as you wondered what you could do to end this farce. 

_If this was kindness it never had felt so cold before._


	5. Chapter 5

It was in the hospital that a realisation befell you. Kaiba had ordered you to stay out of the room, a snarl of disgust on his face at the mere thought that someone like you –the reason his brother was in that room– would get near Mokuba. All pretenses of the ‘perfect’ boyfriend had been dropped, but so had been his hard shell as soon as the brunet believed himself to be alone. 

You were taken aback at the sudden shift in character. A vulnerability showing that he had never allowed to surface before. His expression downcasted, his hands folded, his shoulder slumped. There was nothing left of the businessman that was Seto Kaiba in front of the bed of his brother. 

Turning away you quietly shut the door, giving the male the privacy he deserved. Clenching your fist you sat back down again on the plastic seats, eyes cast into a distance. 

Seto Kaiba was no simple man. You had always known that. In fact, it was why you had fallen for him. For his complex nature, because he was cool, because he seemed to be able to do everything and well. However, you slowly realised that you had never found the man behind it all. You had merely admired him and called it love. 

Feeling shame rise on your temples you wondered what had moved you so to accept the lantern. Truly, you were hurt over the humiliation he had put you through. It was also true that the male could be and was unnecessarily cruel, but wasn’t that something you had known before as well? A risk you had taken?

Shaking your head you shot up from your seat, startling the guards that were standing outside with you. 

“No more excuses,” you announced before stalking out of the hospital hallways. 

You remembered it well. The little shop at the end of the alley in which the owner called themselves a magician. Colloquially everyone referred to the owner as a ‘witch’, though no one truly believed that she could do any magic. You did otherwise. Or at least, now you did, knowing the devastated state you had brought upon yourself. 

The familiar ring of the bell alerted your presence into the smokey shop, the smell of incense and vapor hitting you at once, tickling your nostrils. 

“I suppose you’re back with regret?” 

The voice was sharp, though small, belonging to an even smaller body that you eventually found huddled in a corner. 

“You youngsters are all the same, alas it is experience that teaches you the best,” the female continued, hands gliding over her skirt as she threw you another look. 

You hadn’t said anything upon entering, figuring that the lady already knew what you were here for. 

“You want to undo the lantern,” the woman spoke with a sigh. Here you stood still, confused as you scraped your throat, the smell of the shop invading your lungs as you took in a breath. 

“No, the lantern still very much has to do with it. Just not in the way you think it is,” the woman cut you off before waving for you to sit down. 

_“Listen well and listen carefully, for I only will tell once.”_


	6. Chapter 6

“Tell me dear, what is love?” a cloaked woman spoke, her fingers swaying over the pieces of a game they were playing.

The person across from her, an equally mysterious entity chuckled, eyes carefully following the next set that the partner played, a hand reaching for his chin as he thought deeply. “Shouldn’t you know best?” The question bounced back as the play was made.

“I still would like to know,” the woman spoke, a smile could be heard on her lips as she waited for the other to make their move. “Some claim it to be the opposite of hate, for it is full of gentle warmth whereas hatred is a fiery hate that leaves you empty,” she explained, her hand waving into the air as if she couldn’t entirely find herself in it.

“Others claim it is apathy, for where love is full of emotions apathy is the lack thereof,” she followed on, though it was clear she didn’t entirely believe in it herself, a peeved sigh escaping her as she grumbled at the move made.

The man chuckled, amused at both the question posed as well as the game at play.

“So love is a gentle warmth or a bother to care?” the man questioned, to which his partner and opponent heaved a particular deep sigh at.

“That is the thing,” she said as she trailed off.

Neither had known the answer, but that made the experiment all the more fun.

“Where is [Name]?”

In another world the question shot at the guard would have tinged differently, a more worried edge, a concern, a care. In this timeline there was no such case, just the sharp edge of the cold sword that was his tongue.

The guards looked at each other, exchanging one look, communicating a shrug and then turned back.

“We don’t know, sir.”

And that was all they had to say, earning an annoyed sigh from Kaiba. Behind him a door opened, stirring his attention as he turned around to face his brother.

“You should rest,” the male spoke wearily, his hand pressing against his forehead as he heaved another deep sigh. “The doctor said you are recovering well, but that you need to take it easy.”

The younger male kept quiet, eyes casted downwards as he chewed his lip.

“Mokuba?” the older brother repeated, though his voice was far from harsh, trying to encourage the other to speak up.

“That was the same [Name] as the one you rejected, right?” the boy spoke, his voice low as he seemed down about something. Unsure what that was Kaiba only nodded, waiting for Mokuba to continue.

“I had a dream,” the boy started, before pulling his brother’s hand and leading him inside.

Kaiba didn’t like one bit of what this suggested.

In another timeline you wouldn’t have been subjected to the game gods played when they were bored. The lamp wouldn’t have fallen into your hands and the events that had played wouldn’t have been so devastating.

“So the lantern doesn’t actually trap souls,” you repeated after the shopkeeper.

A puff of smoke was blown in your face, the lady unimpressed with your gullibleness as she clicked her tongue. “No item here in this shop can, child,” she sighed before rapping her nails against the board of her desk. “Doesn’t mean that what you experienced wasn’t real, however. Just unlucky,” she continued rolling her eyes.

“Then the curse of kindness I placed on him?” you tried, to which the lady heaved another sigh.

“Complicated, but ultimately a choice of his own,” she shrugged. “Doubt that boy ever believed in it himself,” the lady continued to which you gulped.

How silly you felt, getting so worked up over a rejection that you came to this accursed place, where you descended everyone into a nightmare of sorts, a mess that no one really wanted to deal with.

“You, child, were just another puppet,” the lady sighed, looking over your complicated expression. “Just another puppet.”

With that she sends you out, your mind swirling, but none of the right questions came out.

Meanwhile Kaiba had a set of questions of his own.


	7. Chapter 7

“It is just a silly dream,” Seto informed Mokuba after that the boy finished his retelling. The whole story had been strange enough already, what with his brother fainting after that strange lantern you brought in, claiming the most outrageous thing. If the male wasn’t in a bad enough mood already he surely was put down now.

“Seto,” Mokuba trails after his brother, wide innocent eyes eyeing him in concern. “I really do think that dream means something, that it was telling me something, or wanted me to tell you something,” the boy insists, but Seto would hear none of it.

“Take Mokuba home and make sure to have the doctor on standby,” were his orders before he walked out of the room, face on a storm, mind aimed for war.

You had escaped him now, but Kaiba would be damned if he let you go that easily, if he allowed you to escape so easily. Calling in a string of his own men the businessman was quick to give a new set of instructions as he stepped into the back of his car, determination clear on his face.

You were, however, nowhere to be found. Not at home, not at school, not even with your friends.

“[Name], that doof that sent me that public confession,” Kaiba was slowly losing his patience with your so-called friends, their blank expressions not helping in the situation as they continued to blink owlishly at him.

Annoyed he gave up, making a mental note to inform you finely on what ‘great’ friends you had, so easily as you had been forgotten by them as soon as you left their side.

This didn’t help any more when he found himself thinking back of Mokuba’s dream, or what the younger boy had claimed to be his dream while he had passed out. The boy wasn’t the frail type to pass out frequently, or at all, neither for prolonged periods of time. Yet, the doctors had found nothing unusual, and declared the boy fine to go home. A decision that didn’t sit well with Kaiba as it didn’t explain anything. Not your lantern, not Mokuba, not even the dream.

It annoyed the man beyond comprehension. Especially when it seemed like you had vanished from the face of earth, impossible to find, hard to trace. Kaiba wasn’t sure yet on the why and how, but he was pulling out all of his tricks and cards in order to find you; one measly person that hadn’t mattered to him one bit a week ago.

You still didn’t matter, he concluded. He merely needed you for answers and answers he was going to get.

But he didn’t find you now, nor did he find you the next day, and overtime, while he was still looking, Kaiba found that the world had changed, changed into a world without you.

“[Name]?” Mokuba asked, confusion in his eyes as well. He had been the most worried about you, persisting in following after his older brother in his searches the day after as well. Kaiba had denied the boy this request all the while, confident in his own network and his own abilities.

“Who is that, someone you like?” the boy had questioned, irking the other as Kaiba wondered if he was being made fun of. However, this was his younger brother, Mokuba would never.

When Kaiba walked into his office the answer suddenly clicked. Upon his desk, still neatly placed in front of his PC Kaiba found that cursed lantern you had brought in. The one of which you claimed would help him find kindness, in which he had actually believed you when you claimed that Mokuba’s soul was trapped within.

Nothing made sense, and yet it did. When he watched the lantern glow weakly the male suddenly wondered if this was your last trick. If Mokuba’s dream had indeed meant something.

The glow of the lantern was reminiscent of the way it had glowed before, when Mokuba had fainted. When you had claimed that it had trapped his soul.

Whatever it was, there was neither care nor warmth in Kaiba’s demeanour as he tossed the lantern out.


	8. Final

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Definitely no happy ending

“Still waiting, [Name]?” the frown on Tea’s face was all you really needed to know that there was disapproval in your appearance. 

“He said he would come out in a bit,” you smiled, “and I still have some work to finish up on,” you continued with a grimace, though the both of you knew that you spend enough time like this to have finished and worked ahead of your classes. 

Sighing the female let herself fall into a seat next to you, her eyes pinched shut whilst she balanced her head onto her hand. “I don’t understand your relationship, but if you say that he is sincere in his feelings to you,” Tea spoke, sounding her support to you once more in the uncommon relationship you had. 

“He just has trouble expressing himself, but he is a good man,” you try to defend your boyfriend, a smile playing around your lips as you thought of the man to whom you had committed yourself. 

“Who denies my good?” a deep voice joined, startling the two of you as the tall figure of a certain entrepreneur came into view. 

_A gentle warmth?_

Feeling your heart skip a beat you turn around, facing the man that you had been waiting for. You knew that the look on his face meant that he had overheard part of the conversation, purposefully making himself now to fluster you. You wouldn’t have come so far if you let him, however. 

“Well?” Kaiba crossed his arms as he stopped in front of the two of you, a smirk playing around his lips that gave away the confidence he had in his tease. 

“We were talking about Yami,” you quipped back, sticking out a tongue at him as you shrugged, packing up your bag as you rose from your chair. “See ya.” Waving Tea off you follow after a now sour looking Kaiba.

Stepping into the back of the limousine you are quick to find yourself cornered, Kaiba’s arms caging you in from both sides as he eyes you down severely. 

“Were you really talking about that man?” he scowls, and you read the uncertainty in his eyes, the momentary lapse of his confidence at his eternal rival whom he so desperately wished to beat. 

Rolling your eyes you poke him in the face, earning a grump from Kaiba as he continued to eye you, quietly demanding an answer from you. You knew that you had to ease him in some way, for the businessman wasn’t as confident as he always presented himself to be. 

“Silly, you were so confident earlier,” you continue to tease him, though the smile playing around your lips is soft and full of meaning, a wordless answer that he needed. 

_Or a bother to care?_

He woke up cold, the warmth of the dream escaping him as he opened his eyes, staring right up at the white ceiling above him. 

For some reason Kaiba reached out next to him, trying to pat down the space in his bed as if he tried to confirm something, eyes turning to that empty pillow. 

It had always been empty. It was always empty. Yet, today it hurt especially, the dream from earlier still haunting him. 

However, the memories faded soon and by the time Kaiba sat down for breakfast, Mokuba cheerfully joining the table with a ‘good morning’, the male had all forgotten about the dream, about his own vulnerability. 

“Seto?” Mokuba tried to pull his attention, an arm waving in his visage, “earth to brother Setoooo!” the younger male called, a pout playing around the boy’s lips.

“What?” 

The answer had been sharper than intended, but Mokuba ignored it as he sat back down at the table, a sigh escaping him. 

“They still haven’t found [Name], but we found the shop where the lantern allegedly was bought,” Mokuba reported.

The look given by Kaiba suggested that he didn’t care, spurring the younger brother on to hasten up on the findings. 

“It was just a regular antique dealer, nothing special about it” 

With that the case was closed, or nearly closed, as the question remained on why Mokuba had passed out for so long all these weeks ago, but even that started not to matter anymore as it hadn’t repeated. 

“I don’t care where [Name] went off to, I hope they never return,” came Kaiba’s harsh words as he left, leaving Mokuba alone with a grim expression. 

How cruel the game of the gods had been. Playing around with the lives they had created, snipping bound that they had formed. How easily the fingers of these deities moved, how much it changed within one's fate. 

In the end even they hadn’t gotten what they wanted, their answer never answered, the question never understood.


End file.
